SCHUYLKILL RIVER TRAIL LETTERBOX:

AUDUBON, PENNSYLVANIA

-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-

Planted:               April 18, 2008

Length:                Schuylkill River Trail; 25 miles

                              Perkiomen Trail; 19 miles

                              Wissahickon Trail/Forbidden Trail; 20 miles

                              Valley Forge NHP bike trails; 18.2 miles

                              Betzwood Park to Letterbox; 1/4 mile

Difficulty:            Easy. Paved trail with some on-road sections and a stone-dust towpath section.

Directions:

To start from the Betzwood parking lot;  From Valley Forge take Route 422 northbound over the Schuylkill River. Take the S Trooper Road exit and head left or south. The Betzwood picnic area is on the right next to the river. The first parking lot has a signboard and access to the Schuylkill River Trail. The Valley Forge River Trail is alongside the river. You can also travel over the bridge by bike via a pedestrian corridor from Valley Forge

To start from the Port Providence parking lot; From Route 422, take the S Collegeville Road exit and travel south through Mont Clare. Turn left on Walnut Street, just before the bridge over the river. Walnut Street turns into Port Providence Road. City Park will be on your right.

To start from the Manayunk Canal; From I-76, take exit 338 to Belmont Ave and travel north over the river into Manayunk. Turn right onto Main Street and you'll see parking signs for the bike trail that will take you to lots located next to the Manayunk Canal Towpath. However, we parked off Cresson Street which had much more reasonable rates for all day parking. Especially when you don't know how long you'll be gone.

The Schuylkill River Trail extends from Downtown Philadelphia to Mont Clare. In Philadelphia, the trail travels through Fairmont Park, See; FAIRMONT PARK and along the Manayunk Canal Towpath. See; MANAYUNK CANAL . The trail is paved, except for the Towpath, which consists of stone-dust and boardwalks. Currently  stretching 25 miles along the Schuylkill River the plan is for a continuous trail along the entire length of the river, over 100 miles, from the Delaware River to its headwaters in Schuylkill County. The trail follows the Schuylkill River Heritage Corridor, See; SCHUYLKILL RIVER HERITAGE CORRIDOR . For more information visit; SCHUYLKILL RIVER TRAIL .

We biked two separate sections of the trail; the northern end from Valley Forge to Mont Clare (the Letterbox is located along this section) and the southern end from Manayunk Canal to Independence National Historical Park in downtown Philadelphia. See; INDEPENDENCE NHP . You must travel on-street through the city to reach Independence Park. We biked into Philadelphia along the trail which includes several SEPTA Regional Rail stops and then took the train back to our starting point. The R6 Line has several stops near the trail from Norristown (about 18 miles to Independence Park) to Manayunk (about 9 miles to Independence Park). You can then take an elevator down to the Market East Station from 12th Street, between Cuthbert and Filbert Streets to Track 1A. For more information about taking your bike on the train and when its allowed visit; SEPTA BIKES .

Starting from the Betzwood parking lot; From the first parking lot, a connector trail leads from the signboard up to the trail. Right takes you towards Philadelphia. Head left on the paved trail. Mile post 22 is on your right. Mile posts every mile along the trail. There are also miles painted on the trail, although I don’t know where they start from as the first one I spotted was mile 30. The trail heads through the woods with fencing on both sides of the trail. Just after you pass “30 miles” painted on the trail, there will be a gap in the fencing on both sides. Turn left down the gravel road and you’ll see the river down below and the River Trail. Follow the gravel road left to a hairpin curve. On the inside of this curve is a knoll with a four-trunked tree. Near the base of this tree is a pile of rocks. Remove only the flat top rock to reveal a smaller rock on top of the Schuylkill River Trail Letterbox. Please replace both rocks as you found them as they help protect the box. Continuing along the trail, you’ll leave Valley Forge at 1.4 miles and come alongside Route 422. When you come to an intersection at 2.1 miles, continue straight, as left takes you to Pawlings Road parking lot and the northern end of the River Trail. After crossing over Perkiomen Creek, the trail then takes you down along the base of the bridge to an intersection at 2 ½  miles. Left is the start of the Perkiomen Trail as it heads north along Perkiomen Creek. See; PERKIOMEN TRAIL . Turn right and travel under the bridge along Perkiomen Creek. Perkiomen Creek then flows into the Schuylkill River. The trail then heads west along the river, traveling underneath a railroad bridge at 3 ¼ miles. You’ll come to a ½ mile gravel section that is slated to be paved in June, 2008 after they install a bridge at the end of this detour. The paved trail picks back up and brings you to the Port Providence parking lot at 4.6 miles. Restrooms are located here along with a great signboard that shows the complete, proposed Schuylkill River Trail System. Just past this signboard you’ll come to some remnants of the old Schuylkill Canal which travels up to Mont Clare. See; SCHUYLKILL CANAL for more information. The trail currently ends at Port Providence Road at 4.8 miles, but you can travel on-road along Port Providence Road up to Mont Clare to check out more of the canal.

Starting from Manayunk Canal; The canal originates in Glen Willow from the Schuylkill River and then travels behind Main Street in Manayunk. Just after passing Lock Street it then reenters the river. The Canal was completed in 1818 and contains Locks 68-70 as well as ruins of sluice house, Locktenders House and Flat Rock Dam. After checking out the stone-dust Towpath along the canal, you'll come to Lock Street. Head up to Main Street and turn left for a 1.5  mile on-road detour. Follow Main Street (and the blue & white trail signs) and you'll pass by the Wissahickon Train Station up on your left at 0.8 miles. Main Street turns into Ridge Ave. You'll come to a bridge across Wissahickon Creek at 1.1 miles. Across Ridge Ave is the start of the Wissahickon Trail, See; WISSAHICKON TRAIL . Travel across the bridge and turn right on a sidewalk along the start of Kelly Drive. This is also the start of Fairmont Park. You'll come to a parking lot and the paved trail at 1.5 miles. Another 1/4 mile brings you to Falls Bridge and a map board. The Schuylkill River Trail continues along the river, however, you also have the option of crossing over Falls Bridge and following the river along the opposite side. From April-October, Saturday & Sundays, 7am-5pm they close down West River Drive to vehicle traffic. This enables you to use the road that parallels the river all the way to the West River Drive Bridge. This is the route we took. It also allows you to loop back up along the east side of the river upon your return. The road and trail pass underneath numerous bridges and pass by numerous informative signboards. At 4.6 miles you pass by Sweet Briar Road which will take you over to the Philadelphia Zoo. See;  PHILADELPHIA ZOO . At about 5.5 miles you'll see Boat House Row and the Fairmont Water Works across the river as you come to a Dam. Great views of the downtown skyline. Cross over West River Drive Bridge and turn right where you'll come to the intersection of the Schuylkill River Trail at 6.1 miles. Right takes you back upstream (I'll get to that section later), we headed left, traveling underneath the Vine Street Expressway, where the trail runs alongside the river on your right and railroad tracks on your left. At 6.5 miles is a path that crosses the tracks into the city. You travel under a series of bridges before the trail ends at 7.1 miles. Another path takes you over the railroad tracks to 24th & Walnut Street. We decided to bike through the city over to Independence National Historical Park. Go back to the Chestnut Street Bridge where a pedestrian walkway takes you up to either Chestnut Street or Market Street. We took Market Street because it brings you first to City Hall. After City Hall you'll probably want to switch to another parallel street as Market Street tends to become quite crowded. Its only about 2 miles before you reach 6th Street and Independence National Historical Park. You can ride back or take the train (See train info above). Starting from the West River Drive Bridge Intersection; Head north along the trail as it travels underneath the West River Drive Bridge and takes you up to the Fairmont Water Works, with its promenades overlooking the river. See; FAIRMONT WATER WORKS . From here you can also access the Philadelphia Museum of Art that overlooks the river. See;  PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART . The trail travels by a parking lot and comes to Kelly Drive at a 1/2 mile. You can take the trail right to access Logan Square and the Franklin Institute Science Museum. See; FRANKLIN MUSEUM . Turn left along Kelly Drive and you'll come to Loyd Hall where you'll find restrooms and refreshments. The trail passes by the historic buildings along Boat Row, monuments and artwork and past a tunnel drilled through the hill for the road. After traveling underneath a railroad bridge at 1 1/4 miles, keep an eye out to your right for the General Grant statue and a stone arch railroad bridge. After passing below the Columbia Bridge at 2.1 miles there will be viewing stands for skull racing. Look up at 3.4 miles to spot Laurel Hill Cemetery as it straddles the ridge. You reach Falls Bridge at 4 1/4 miles. 

HH

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LETTERBOX LAST VERIFIED ON

SEPTEMBER 6, 2009

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